Means for discharging fluid from internal-combustion motors



Nov. so, 1926. 1,608,637

E. H. VINCENT MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTIONMOTORS Filed July '7, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ndenfcm 'yw/hw NOV. 30,1926.

' E. H. VINCENT MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID FROM INTERNAL comsusnouMOTORS Filed July '7. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 30,1926. 1,608,637

-- .E. H. VINCENT MEANS FOR DISCHARGING FLUID FROMINTERNAL; COMBUSTIONMOTORS Filed July 7. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet s gndenton.

till

Patented N ov.

EDWARD H.,VI1\TCENT, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MEANS FOR DISCHAEGING FLUID FROM INTERNAL-COMBUSTION MOTORS.

Application filed July 7,

The present invention relates to motor vehicles of the type driven by aninternal combustion engine. In such engines, although it is well knownthat the crank case must be cleaned out and the lubricating oil must bechanged often in order to prolong the life of the motor, it is also wellknown that the average motorist, due to the necessity of getting underthe car in order to open the discharge valve, will delay the changingoperation beyond all reasonable limits. This the present inventionavoids by providing readily accessible means whereby the user mayrelease the oil after merely lifting the hood or corresponding cover, inthe case of an automobile or motor boat, or, in any event, without theoperator being required to get or reach down under the crank case. -Thisgeneral purpose may be accomplished in various ways, but I prefer toconstruct the valve operating means in such manner as to be supported orguided by the flange of the crank case, or by a guiding element securedthereto, as will be more fully understood later.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide, in connection with theoil releasing means, a gauge and a filler conduit whereby the user mayrefill the crank case and constantly observe the height of the oil as itrises therein, and whereby he may note Iwhen it is discharged. In someinstances the gauge may, of course, be omitted.

Further objects will appear upon refer-- ence to the description and tothe drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View, arts being broken'away, showing one em odiment of the invention. -Fig. 2 is a front View,parts being broken away rearwardly of the front support, which is notshown.

Fig. 2 shows a slight modification in the rod guiding means. Fig. 3 is.a vertical section on line 3.3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective View,parts being broken away, showing a'second embodiment of the invention,wherein the discharge valve iscombined with a filling conduit. Fig. 5 isa fragmentary side elevation and Fig. 6 is a vertical section, showingmore clearly the details of the construction which appears in Fig. 4.Figs. 7 and 8 are views, similar to Fig. 6, showing a further slightmodification. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 7, showing flange 1 incross-section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig.2, showing still another embodiment 1922. Serial No. 573,459.

of the invention. Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary sectional viewsshowing slight modifications. v

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 indicates the internal combustion engine, 2 theradiator and- 3 the hood of an ordinary motor vehicle,

the cylinder block including, as shown m Fig. 2, the flange 4:, by whichthe weight is carried to suitable supports (not shown)' at the rear. Theusual detachable oil panappears at 5 and the space between the sideframes 6 and the crankcase is closed by suitable metal sheets or plates7 It will be observed (Fig. 1) "that the oil pan includes.

a gauge 8, which may either be welded, or otherwise attached to the pan,and by which the 'level of the oil therein may be seen. The oil pan alsoincludes in its bottom an opening 9, Fig. 3, which may be formed eitherin the pan itself or-in a separate fitting 5' (Fig. 2) bolted thereto,and which is threaded to receive a suitable valve element embodying ahousing 10 and a rotatable valve 11, having complementary passages 12and 13 as will be readily understood. The valve also preferably embodiessealing means such as the gaskets or packing 1 1-15 and may beheld toits seat bya spring 16; and its operating handle, which Forthe purposeof readily actuating said .valve when the hood is elevated, I providesocket 23, one of which is suitably secured to the arm as by nuts 24.spring interposed between a pin 26 on the rod and the flange 4 serves tonormally hold the valve in closed position. By removing the pin 26, therod 20 may be disconnected from the handle I 17 or from the sleeve ofthe ball 22byunscrewing said rod by which it may be drawn up and removedthrough the opening in the rib or flange .4, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and2 In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the upper end of the rodrespectively in the plate 7 and ina clip 29 which is secured to the sidebar by one of the same bolts 30 which serve for the attachment of theplate 7. In similar manas appears at 17, is preferably perforated as ice20 is guided in openings 27 and-28 formed.

her, the opening 21 may be'superceded by a perforated clip 31 attachedto the flange.

' structions shown 4, y one or more of the bolts 32, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the rotatable valve isreplaced by a slidablevalve 11, and for-operating means a bell crankdevice 35, pivoted at 36, and rod 20 are provided, the spring 25 inthis, instancebeing positioned between the upper surfaceof the flan e 4and 'an operating knob on the rod. T e valve housing is also shownintegral with the gauge fitting 8" and attached to the oil pan 5 bybolts 37. This construction requires a minimum road clearance.

Substantially the. same end is accomplished in Figs. 11 and 12 by theuse'of a rotatable valve 40 and discharge passages 41, 42, 43 soarranged that the valve need be turned through but a small arfglefromclosed to open position. The operating rod therein shown issubstantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1.

In order that the user may also readily pour in the fresh oil andconstantly observe its level during the filling operation, I alsoprovide in some instances a combined filling and discharging device andgauge, as shown in'Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the same being secured to the mainoil pan 50 by bolts 51 (although it might be integral therewith). Thisdevice includes a chamber for suitable gauge mechanism 52 and likewisehas a combined filling and discharge passage 53, registering with acorresponding passage 53 formed in the pan 50, from-whlch the usedoil-isdrawn ofl' t -rough a branch 54 when the valve 55, which may be of anysuitable construction, such as those heretofore described, is opened.The passage 53 also has a branch 56 which is prefera ly provided with abutterfly or other suitable valve 57 the operating handle of whichisinterconnected to the discharge valve operating rod 58 in such mannerthat the valve 57 is open only when the discharge valve is closed, forexample, by the pin and' slot connection 59'60, the purpose being toprevent refilling until the discharge valve s closed. The upper end ofthe branch 56 1s normally closed as by means of a thin netal plate 61pivoted at .62, and a spring It will be noted that in each of the contheoperating rod is readily accessible upon merely lifting the hood, andthat the spring 25 tends to automatically Te- 1 turn the valve to closedposition and. to'

thereafter hold .it in such position so that this valve will not be leftopen by an absent minded operator who has cleaned out his crank case andis refilling; also that in such embodiments as appear in Fig.3'the'devic'e1 is readily applicable as an accessory, and that theexpense involved is small. In all forms except that shown in Fig. 10,the operating rod, being guided by a part of the bustion motor having acrankcase including Z5 an oil reservoir, an outlet for the oil at thelowest level of said oil reservoir, a device-comprisinga valve and acasing for said outlet and adapted to be removably attached to said oilreservoir, said crankcase having a lateral flan e above the lower levelof the reservoir, an a valve actuating member connected to the valve andadapted to be guided by the crankcase flange.

2. n combination'with an'. engine having a flange and an oil reservoir,said reservoir having at itslowest level an outlet throu h which oil maybe dischar ed from said reservoir, an" accessory embo ying a housing forattachment to said oil reservoir and a rotatable valve structure adapted.to occu y open and closed positions for said outlet or allowing orpreventing the discharge of oil from the reservoir, and a movable rodfor rotating said valve, said rod being connected to said valve andmovable through an opening in said-flange. v r

3. In combination with an engine having a crankcase, said crankcasehaving at its lowest level an outlet through which oilmay be dischargedtherefrom, a hollow valvev for said outlet, a housing for said valve andhaving a passage outlet for the oil, and dc tachably connected to saidcrankcase, said crankcase having a flange, and a valve actuating memberconnected to the valve and supported by said flange, one end of saidactuating member being detachably connected to said valve and the otherend of said member being shaped to form a handle.

4. In combination with an engine having a crankcase, said crankcasehaving at its lowest level an outlet through which fluid may bedischarged therefrom, a valve and valve casing having openings throughwhich the fluid is discharged for said outlet, said casing attached tosaid crankcase and readily removable therefrom, said crankcase having aflange above said valve and a valve actuating member detachablyconnected to the ing in said flange, the" lower end of said actuatingmember being detachably connect ed to said valve and an operating handlesecured to the. upper end of said actuating member above said flange,said actuating member being removable through said opening andv abovesaid flange. v 1 5. A motor vehicle includinga frame, an enginesupported thereby, means for closing charged from the crank the spacebetween .the frame and engine above the bottom of the latter, saidengine having an opening in its lowest portion for discharging usedlubricating oil, a valve for said opening below said closure means, andmeans, accessible from above said closure means, for actuating saidvalve and extending through said closure means.

6-. An engine having passages through which used lubricating oil may bediscase and fresh oil may be supplied thereto, and interconnected valvesconstructed and arranged to hold either passage closed while the otheris open.

7. In combination with a motor having a crankcase, said crankcase havingat its 'l0west level an outlet through which fluid may be dischargedtherefrom, a valve for said outlet, said crankcase having a flange, anactuating member connected to said valve and adapted to be, guided bysaid flange, a spring bearing against said flange-and adapted to movethe actuating member to one position, said actuating member beingmanually movable to the other position.

8. An internal combustion engine, including a crankcase construction,including passage forming means through which used lubricating oil maybe discharged therefrom and fresh oil may be supplied thereto, andinterconnected valves constructed and arranged to hold the fillingpassage closed when the discharge passage is open.

9. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an openingfor discharging used lubricating oil therefrom by gravity, and a fittingincluding a branched combined filling and discharging passageregistering with said opening, a valve for the discharge branch of saidpassage, and means for actuating said valve from a point adjacent theupper end of the filling branch of said passage. v

10. In combination with a motor having a casing, openings through whichlubricant may be discharged therefrom and supplied thereto, means tocontrol the amount of lubricant supplied or discharged through saidopenings, by acting to alternately close one opening and open the other.

11. In combination with a motor having a casing, openings through whichfluid may be discharged therefrom and supplied thereto, one of saidopenings in the casing at its lowest level and the other opening in thecasing above its lowest level, movable closure means for each opening,and means for simultaneously moving both closure means.

12. In combination with a motorhaving a crankcase, said crankcase havingin its lowest level an outlet throughywhi'ch used lubricating oil may bedischarged thereform by gravity, a valve for said outlet to allow orprevent the discharge of oil, a casing for the valve andremovablyattached to said crankcase, a rod to actuate the valve, said crankcasehaving a flange above said valve, an opening in said flange, saidrodbeing attached to said valve and extending through said opening andbeyond said flange, and a manually, operable handle on said rod beyondsaid flange.

13. In combination with a motor having a crankcase embodying upper andlower casings, said casings having lateral flanges adapted to beattached together, an opening in one ofsaid flanges, said lower casinghaving an outlet through which used lubricating oil may be dischargedtherefrom, a

valve for said outlet and a housing enclosing the valve and detachablycarried by said lower casing below said flanges, a member to actuatesaid valve, Said member being carried by said lower casing and extendinginto the opening in one of said flanges, and manually operable means onsaid actuating member above said flanges.

14. In combination with a motor, including at least one opening orpassage-forming means, a device adapted to be attached to said motor andhaving at least one opening or passage-forming means registering withthe opening or passage-forming means of the motor whereby lubricatingoil or fluid may be discharged from or supplied through said passages tothe motor.

15. In combination with a motor. including at least one opening orpassage-forming means, a device adapted to be attached to said motor andhaving at least one opening or passage-forming means registering withthe opening or passage forming means of the motor whereby lubricatingoil or fluid may be discharged from or supplied through said passages tothe motor, and means carried by said device for controlling thedischarge of oil or fluid from the motor.

16'. In combination with a motor, including at least one opening orpassage forming means, a device adapted to be attached to said motor andhaving at least one "opening or passage forming means registering withthe opening or passage forming means of the motor, whereby lubricatingoil or fluid may be discharged from or supplied through said passages tothe motor, and means carried by said device for indicating the level ofoil or fluid; V t- 17. In combination with a motor including at leastone opening or passage forming means, a device comprising a housingadapted to be attached to said motor and having at least one opening orpassage forming means registering with the opening or passage formingmeans of the motor whereby lubricating oil or fluid may be dischargedthrough said passages from the motor, means carried by said housing tocontrol the discharge of lubricating oil or fluid from saidmotor, and agauge carried by said device for indicating the level of oil or fluid inthe motor. and said passages.

18. In combination with a motor, including at least one opening orpassage forming means, a device adapted to be attached to said motor andhaving at least one opening or passage forming means registering with.the opening or passage forming means of the motor whereby lubricatingoil or fluid may be supplied through said passagesito the motor, meansto control the supply of lubricating oil or fluid to said motor and aninstrument carried by said device for indicating the level of oil orfluid inthe motor or said passages.

19. In combination with a-motor, passage forming means through whichfluid may be discharged from said motor or supplied thereto, and meansarranged to prevent the fluid being supplied to said motor during-matically moved from said position and fluid therefrom or to preventthe discharge of fluid while fluid is being supplied there- 'to, andresilient means to move to and hold said first mentioned means in one ofsaid positions.

22. In combination with a motor having an opening through which fluidmay be discharged therefrom, a device adapted to be attached to saidmotor and having a discharge passa'ge registering with said motoropening, said device also having a second passage through which fluidmay be supplied to said motor, a valve for each of said passages tocontrol the flow of fluid, and means to simultaneously operate saidvalves.

23. In combination with a motor having a crankcase, said crankcasehavingat its lower level an outlet through which lubricating oil orfluid may be emptied therefrom, a valve for said outlet to control thedischarge of fluid, and means to operate said valve, said crankcaseembodying a flange or rib adapted to aid in guiding or supporting saidoperating means.

EDWARD H. VINCENT.

